With Sugar On Top
by Aiselne Phoenix Nocturnus
Summary: Ash is determined to unlock a sweet secret hidden in Dawn's sugar cabinet. Alas, a not-so-sweet Misty guards that secret. Now Ash must charm, butter up Misty…anything to silence his curiosity in this tale of Pokeshippy sugar-high silliness. Complete.
1. Chapter One

_**With Sugar On Top**_

**SUMMARY**: Ash is determined to unlock a sweet secret hidden in Dawn's sugar cabinet. When a not-so-sweet Misty guards that secret, Ash will have to put on the charm, butter Misty up…whatever it takes to silence his sugar-high curiosity.

**GENRE**: Humor/Mystery  
**RATED**: PG / K+  
**NOTABLE CONTENT**: Crude Humor and Mild Language  
**SHIP**: Pokeshipping (Ash/Misty)

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters  
_**STORY TAKES PLACE IN**: Season 10: Diamond & Pearl (and just because I have creative license, Misty guest-stars in this fanfic)

**COMMENTS**: _**(Revised and Updated 08-27-09)**_

The version you are currently reading of "With Sugar On Top" happens to be revised. Originally, the story was meant to take place in Season 12 (Galactic Battles), but I have since reverted the story back to the first D&P season (Season 10). Why? Well, aside the fact that I'm the author, I found the story actually works better in Season 10 than 12 (for reasons you'll eventually see in later chapters). Fear not, the basic idea of this story hasn't changed at all, only the anime season timeframe (and a few Pokemon evolutions. Minor details). Sorry for any inconvenience.

~ This story has two dedications:

1. To everyone who was sugar-sweet enough to review my previous Pokeshippy story, "It's Her Party, and She'll Cry If I Mess It Up." Your wonderful reviews have encouraged me to publish another Ash/Misty fluff-fest!

2. To a friend of mine (who has asked to remain nameless) who helped concoct the Pokeshippy "chocolate and caramel" concept you'll eventually read about.

Enjoy, and feel free to post reviews, too!

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* With Sugar On Top *

_Aiselne Phoenix_

**Chapter One**

"Please?"

"No."

"_Pleease_?"

"_Noo_."

"_Pretty _please?'

"No, no."

"Pretty _pretty _please?"

"No, no, no."

"Pretty please with sugar on top?"

"_No_!"

"Pretty please with sugar on top...and _sprinkles_?"

"_NO_!"

"Pretty please with sugar on top, and sprinkles, and cherries, and hot fudge, and whipped cream, and-"

"I SAID _NO_!!!!" Misty blasted, nearly snapping her wooden mixing stick in half in her fury while watching Ash duck for cover under the kitchen table. The boy was _really _testing Misty's patience today, though she managed to use her rage as motivation to stir her cookie dough mix extrathoroughly. _But if a certain Pokemon trainer doesn't stop acting like a freakin' three-year-old_, Misty fumed. _I'm gonna' use this rage and pound HIM extra thoroughly!_

"Misty...uh, how's that batter coming along?" a very brave and skittish Dawn asked, slinking into her house's kitchen as if she traversed a field littered with landmines. One false step could set off 'Misty the time bomb.' Dawn never expected baking cookies would be _this _dangerous. Then again, the navy-haired coordinator was not quite as experienced with handling Misty Williams as her two male friends were, either.

Grunting in agitation, Misty directed her attention back to the mixing bowl she tended. It was Brock's brilliant idea to repay Johanna for her hospitality while the group visited Twinleaf Town. Thus, while Dawn's mother took Glameow off to the groomers, the four kids decided to cook dinner. Brock was already long-since done with preparing his famous spaghetti and meatballs, and the noodles and the meatballs were currently cooking in their respective ovens.

Not wanting to burden all the work on Brock, Dawn wished to cook something, too. Sadly, the coordinator was as good of a cook as the culinary-impaired Ash and Misty. Poffins were the extent of Dawn's cooking skills. Of course, the kids did not have much time (or many resources) to cook anything extravagant. Plus, it was not like this was a special occasion, anyway. All the foursome wanted to host was a simple 'thank-you dinner' for Johanna. Thus, Brock left dessert up to his younger friends. The only treat Dawn could recall being able to cook well were cookies, and cookies seemed harmless enough for Brock to leave his friends to their own devices. Of course, he should have known better when Dawn gave him her notorious "no need to worry" line.

But frankly, the cooking was the least of their worries at the moment. In fact, it was only the 'tip of the iceberg,' or perhaps more specifically, just the 'icing on the cake.'

"I think this batch is done," Misty figured, not exactly knowing if the cookie dough mix was done, but making an educated guess. Misty had been stirring the mix for a while, and extra thoroughly thanks to _someone. _Brock was currently outside in the backyard tending to the Pokemon, so his cooking expertise was not available.

_Who's brilliant idea was it to make cookie dough from scratch, anyway? _Misty mentally whined to herself, wishing Dawn just got store-bought dough. Then again, it was obvious that Dawn wanted to put a generous amount of effort into her mom's dinner, despite the girl's limited cooking skills. Dawn really was being sweet, so Misty kept her complaints to herself. The redhead had been ranting and raving enough for one afternoon, again, thanks to a certain _someone_.

"I'll get the baking pan," Dawn replied, heading over to the respective cabinet and pulling out one of the two necessary trays for their cookies. Spying the cookie cutters also nearby, the coordinator snatched them and piled the countless frames on the kitchen table. It was a miracle Dawn could find any available space on the table, since the table was littered with opened bags of sugar, cookie dough mix, chocolate chips...

Dawn's blue eyes blinked, doing a double take on the bag of chocolate chips. Well, technically, she was looking at a bag that had a _label _of 'chocolate chips,' but no such candies remained inside. "Hey, what happened to the chocolate chips?" There was also a bag of caramel cubes looking pretty pathetic at the moment. "And I could've sworn we had more caramel than that."

Misty snarled under her breath, making Dawn wonder if she should have bothered asking. "Gee...I wonder how thatcould've happened!" Misty chimed sarcastically, kicking a leg of the table and scaring the hiding Ash out of his refuge. "Perhaps a certain _rat _hiding under the table would know what happened to the candy, huh _Ash Ketchum_?!"

He did not want to give Misty that kind of satisfaction in being right, but the guilty smirk that kept taunting Ash's lips was too hard to resist. It did not help that he was on another sugar rush and behaving especially silly and mischievous. "Hey...you were sneaking just as many, Misty!"

"I snuck, what, _three_?! Maybe _five_?!" Misty challenged honestly, slamming her mixing bowl on the table to then grab the two empty bags of candy. "I didn't eat the _whole bags_!"

"Neither did I!" Ash defended. Sure, he snuck his share of chocolate chips, and those especially tasty caramel cubes…that melted in his mouth like blissful dreams come true...tasty little chimeras of sweet pleasure…er, Ash's drooling was not helping his position at the moment. But in all seriousness, Ash could have sworn he left 'something' in those bags. _Maybe Misty snuck more than SHE claims, not that she'll admit it_, Ash grinned to himself.

"What're we gonna' do?" Dawn sighed, checking her Poketch for the time currently reading 17:38. Her mother and Glameow were to be back home by six-thirty! Granted, Dawn was not worried about Brock's spaghetti and meatballs, but the cookies were another story. "I mean, we can still make 'sugar' cookies, but..." she trailed, her eyes drooping back towards the pathetic candy bags. Those bags were originally filled with candy intended to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies and a batch of caramel cookies. Johanna liked the two kinds, so Dawn figured she would make both, but nobody could make either if they did not have the necessary ingredients. _So much for 'no need to worry.'_

"Normally, I'd say we should send Mister Munchlax to go get more candy," Misty suggested, pointing an accusing finger at the guilty-as-charged Ash. "But knowing him, he'd probably eat those bags, too!"

"I would not!" Ash countered sharply. "Go ahead, give me the money for the candy and I'll go and buy it, and I'll _return _with it, too!" No candy, however wonderful it may taste, would get in the way of Ash Ketchum's pride, especially when it came to Misty.

"Pairing you with a candy store is like pairing your Snorlax with the Seven Grapefruit Islands!" Misty retorted, narrowing her aqua eyes and sending daggers to Ash. In the midst of looming war, Dawn took her chances and started pouring the cookie mix onto pans and cut them with the various Pokemon-shaped cookie cutters. Dawn did not know what the hell the 'Seven Grapefruit Islands' were, anyway, nor did she know Ash owned a Snorlax…nor did she have the time to deal with this mind-numbing bickering! If there were two things Dawn learned that afternoon, it was 1.) she may want to start saying "no need to worry" a bit more sparingly, and 2.) Ash and Misty loved to fight over the _stupidest things_. Brock didwarn Dawn about the twosome's arguments, but it was something the coordinator had to see to believe. Boy, did Dawn believe it!

"Hey!" Ash snapped, glaring right across the table in Misty's direction (making Dawn wish she was not inconveniently standing in the middle of them at the moment). "I don't eat _that _much!"

"Then where oh where has the candy gone, Ash?!" Misty sang sarcastically, narrowing her glare back at the guilty boy. "Did it magically disappear into thin air? Maybe Team Rocket snuck in when we weren't looking and stole the candy instead of Pikachu! Or maybe a certain _nimrod _doesn't want to admit he made a freakin' pig of himself!"

"_You _were pigging out just as much!" Ash yelled, sending her killer glares, ones Misty shot right back. "You sure as hell didn't just sneak 'three' or 'five'! Don't go preaching to me about sneaking candy when your hand was in the bag more times than it was mashing that batter!"

"And that same hand's gonna' mash your FACE in about FIVE SECONDS!!" Misty screamed, fists balled and ready to attack Ash…when their eldest member of the group finally waltzed into the kitchen, much to Dawn's relief.

"You' know, I can hear you two _outside_," Brock noted matter-of-factly, shaking his head. Upon Brock's entry, the bickering duo maturely stuck their tongues out at each other before turning away in opposite directions. Pikachu happened to also trot inside, licking its lips after sharing Brock's afternoon snack with the Pokemon in the backyard. Neither Pikachu nor Brock looked entirely surprised, or thrilled, to overhear Ash and Misty typically screaming at each other. Exchanging an exasperated look with the nearly traumatized Dawn, Brock sighed. "Is it so much to ask for you two to get along for one afternoon? Gimmie a break, guys. Need I remind you we're 'guests'in Dawn's house?"

Ash and Misty did not want to admit it, but Brock was right. The duo often behaved like this in Pallet Town, Cerulean City, Pewter City, and even Petalburg City when visiting May and Max. However, as far as Twinleaf Town was concerned, Ash, Misty, and Brock were still guests. Ash and Brock had known Dawn for a little while, but they were still newer acquaintances with Johanna. The boys certainly did not know Johanna personally enough to be free to terrorize her own house! Misty, especially, was even newer, since she was only temporarily visiting Sinnoh. Originally, Misty was passing through Sinnoh to meet Wake of the Pastoria Gym; a Water Pokemon Gym Leader like herself. Misty was only stopping by Twinleaf for a few days on her way to Pastoria City, taking a quick detour for a much-needed reunion with her old friends.

However, just because Misty and her friends were together again did not mean they could act as foolhardy as they used to, especially in a less-familiar home. It was one thing to fool around in a house where one was familiar, but in an unfamiliar household, the kids had to act somewhat mature. Johanna had high faith in her daughter's friends, and Ash, Misty, and Brock wanted to prove Johanna's hopes were correct.

Huffing, Misty decided to help Dawn finish with the cookie cutters. Honestly, Misty liked the navy-haired coordinator, and did not want to give Dawn or Johanna the wrong impression. _Though thanks to this afternoon, I can just IMAGINE what kind of an impression I've left, at least on Dawn_, Misty discreetly sighed to herself, stealing a glance as Dawn set the last cookie cutter. _Of course, this afternoon would've been ten times easier if SOMEONE grew up!_

But Ash was not the 'only' person Misty could blame. She blamed herself more than anything else for opening today's Pandora's Box. While Glameow would be undergoing its grooming session, Johanna planned on doing a little shopping to pass the waiting time. She was in dire need of Poffin ingredients, since she gave the last to Dawn's Pokemon for breakfast.

It was while Johanna checked the cabinets that morning, searching for any other food items she needed to stock up on…when she found..._it_.

Word to the wise: making sudden movements always draws suspicion. Thus, when Johanna instantly slammed the cabinet door shut, she easily drew Dawn's curiosity. Her mother reassured that it was no big deal, but if it was no big deal, why did Johanna make Dawn swear not to open the cabinet while the mother was gone? It was not as though there was anything to 'hide,' was there?

Of course, this made Dawn all the more curious, but Johanna was smart and asked Brock, the oldest, to keep an eye on the cabinet in her absence. Naturally, she told Brock what was inside, and after finding out, he happily accepted the role.

Unfortunately, 'guard duty' was not that easy. Brock had to take care of all of the kids' Pokemon, so he certainly could not stand by the cabinet all day. Dawn also oh-so conveniently got the idea to bake cookies in the kitchen, right by the said cabinet, so that made Brock's job harder. So, he passed the torch onto 'second in command,' letting Misty in on the little secret. Brock knew Dawn would have an easier time getting through Sinnoh's Great Marsh than getting through Misty Williams.

But then again, so concerned about Dawn being problematic, Brock never took _Ash _into consideration. Frankly, Dawn was a cakewalk compared to Ash's sudden interest in that cabinet.

Brock knew he should have seen it coming. Of all the cabinets Johanna needed guarded, it was the _sugar cabinet_, where all the sweet treats were kept. Of course, Dawn instantly came under the assumption that Johanna was hiding some candy of sorts. The girl figured her mother went to such great lengths in order to keep the hyped-up kids from ingesting more sugar. When Dawn made her assumption vocal, she decided to let the matter slide and focus her attention on baking Johanna's cookies.

However, being the type who rarelylets anything slide, Ash was not so lucky. Granted, it was not his business, nor his own _house_, to be snooping around in the sugar cabinet. Sadly, as the hours passed, the boy's curiosity intensified. He constantly reminded himself to focus on something else. Sure, the chocolate chips and caramel cubes were pleasant distractions, but they were only temporary. Sooner or later, Ash's damn curiosity brought him back to the sugar cabinet. Often, he found himself absentmindedly making his way over there…closer and closer…

"HOLD IT!!"

Ash certainly did, and almost jumped out of his skin in the process when he heard Misty's bark from behind him. More word to the wise: Misty's bark _is_ as bad as her bite! Swallowing, the raven-haired boy carefully turned around, away from the destined sugar cabinet. His brown eyes promptly met a pair of glaring aquamarine orbs. Most people would say Misty had beautiful eyes, but when she was angry, Ash felt like he was looking into a _devil_'s eyes!

"Get your sticky little fingers and slobbery little mouth away from that cabinet before I shove YOU into the oven!" Misty threatened after she and Dawn placed one tray of cookies into the said oven. Slamming the oven door shut in a loud bang, Misty then stomped over to Ash's area, making him back away in fear...conveniently backing closer towards the sugar cabinet.

Ash bit his lip, though not too nervously due to a small blissful smile appearing on his face. His lips still bore the faintest taste of chocolate and caramel. _Chocolate and caramel...a match made in Heaven. God's gift to sweet tooths_. The boy had to forcibly remind himself that his sugary daydream was not making his stance look overly good.

"Wipe that sugar-coated smirk off your face this instant!" Misty ordered, not liking that blissful, boyish grin on Ash's face. It always meant he was up to no good, and Misty was fed up with his shenanigans. "You're not going into that cabinet and that's final!"

"Aw come' on, Misty," Ash pouted, folding his hands in a pleading manner. "Just tell me what's in there."

"Why do you even care? It's none of your business."

"If it's none of my business then there's no problem in you telling me."

"Urgh! What part of 'no' doesn't register in your head, Ash?!" Misty groaned, rolling her eyes while watching Ash put on a more pitiful/pleading expression. Again, Misty only had herself to blame for this fiasco. There was no fault in telling Ash what was in the cabinet, but Misty was enjoying this game. She wanted to see how long Ash's curiosity would hold up, and see if he got more patient during her absence. Apparently, judging by the lower-lip he was starting to give her, Misty's absence from the group did not improve Ash's maturity.

"Please Misty?" Ash asked, putting on the best puppy-dog face he could concoct. He often pulled that same stance with Delia, and while it could not let Ash get away with murder, it never hurt to put on a pitiful look to get what he wanted. Misty barked a lot, but she often faltered when given a look like that. Of course, Ash did not want to overplay his hand...too much. "Pretty please?"

Misty narrowed her blue eyes at him, sighing loudly as she stared at his pitiful little look. Ash had the strangest priorities sometimes. One day, he was dead-set on his next badge, the next day his biggest dilemma was unlocking the mystery of Dawn's sugar cabinet! _No wonder he gets lost and sidetracked so much_. There was no doubt in Misty's mind; Ash was figuring there was something sweet and delectable in the cabinet. The red-haired girl lived under the assumption that there was more sugar than blood running through Ash's veins. Therefore, it only seemed natural that Ash would be curious about Dawn's sugar cabinet, but Misty was not about to give into his silly pleas.

_Glistening puppy-dog eyes, the pitiful lower-lip...all so he can get MORE candy into him! _Misty exhaled again, running a hand through her orange-crimson hair in disgust over Ash's impeccable maturity. _Ladies and gentlemen, THIS is a future Pokemon Master._

"No...means..._no_!" Misty spelt out, watching Ash's face fall due to her stubbornness. He looked almost as disappointed as if he lost a Gym battle for Heaven's sake! Rolling her eyes, Misty shook her head and grabbed his shoulders, forcibly guiding Ash back to the kitchen table. Dawn had already prepared the second cookie batch to be mixed. Sitting Ash down on one of the table's nearby seats, Misty sat next to him to keep an eye on the mischievous boy. Seizing the mixing bowl from Dawn, Misty took two wooden mixing spoons from the table and refocused her eyes on Ash. With the bowl on her lap, Misty swatted the boy with one of the spoons before holding it out to him. "Now, use some of your new-found sugar energy to help me mix this!"

Ash pouted again, but accepted the spoon and did as he was told. He needed something constructive to get his mind off the tempting sugar cabinet. More importantly, he needed time to formulate a plan to get Misty to cave in and tell him the big secret. The matter was eating him up inside, and Ash was determined to solve this mystery. Johanna, Brock, and Misty claimed the cabinet was no big deal, but it _must_ have been big deal, since they were going to such great lengths to keep it a secret.

_Something's being hidden in that cabinet and I want to know what it is!_

While the two kids fiercely mixed due to their unique frustrations, Dawn and Brock decided to head into the living room. Brock wanted to tidy up the house, and Dawn wanted to be anywhere but where the quarreling Ash and Misty were at the moment. To Brock's amazement, Dawn was the least of their concerns regarding the sugar cabinet mystery...and she was the one they had to keep the secret from the most!

But frankly, the sugar cabinet mystery was the least of Dawn's concerns at the moment. Turning to Brock, Dawn sweatdropped at the teenager. "How the hell did you put up with them on a day-to-day basis, Brock?"

Brock grinned, chuckling as he shook his head at the memories. "I asked myself that question everyday, Dawn."

*** To Be Continued ***

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**A/N**: Ah, aren't Ash and Misty arguments cute? Hehe. Sugar-high Ash is even cuter! ^_^

Well, that's it for Chapter 1! I hope you enjoyed it. Like I said, this is a shorter story, but I do hope you'll like it. What will Ash do next to silence his curiosity? Hehe, wait and see. I appreciate reviews!


	2. Chapter Two

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_. There are several other comical references made in this story. I don't own John Carpenter's _Halloween, _or _Mission Impossible_.

**COMMENTS**: First, thanks to all who reviewed Chapter 1! I'm happy that people are interested in this story after all. Much more sugar-high-Ash-cuteness is ahead!

FYI: Oh, and to anyone who noticed – yes, I did change this story's timeframe from Season 12 to Season 10, for reasons you'll eventually read about. Fear not, the Pokeshippy misadventures of Ash and Dawn's sugar cabinet are 100% intact! I just felt this story worked better in Season 10 than 12 (all because of a certain Pokemon cameo in this chapter). Enjoy!

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* With Sugar On Top *

_Aiselne Phoenix_

**Chapter Two**

"Ow!" Misty shrieked, her hand suddenly throbbing before letting go of her spoon and smacking Ash's nearest shoulder. "Watch where you're stirring!" she snapped, massaging her other hand where Ash's spoon accidently wacked during his absentminded mixing.

He barely heard her, because Ash was in deep thought. Perhaps he had better things to worry about, but his mind still kept returning to Dawn's sugar cabinet. It did not help that his stomach kept making weird noises from time to time. _Misty knows what's in there. There's GOT to be a way to make her talk, or at least give me a hint_. At this rate, Ash would settle for anything to quash his curiosity.

But getting Misty to crack would be as easy as manually opening a Clamperl. Misty was just as stubborn as Ash, and little swayed her. _But she's not IMPOSSIBLE to crack, either_, Ash mentally grinned. There had been a few rare occasions when Misty's stubbornness weakened, but the question remained: what were Misty's weaknesses? 'Water Pokemon' was the first idea that popped into Ash's head, but Pokemon might be a little complicated at the moment. Besides, whenever Misty got onto a Water Pokemon tangent, her daydreams only drew her further away from reality…and Misty would take the sugar cabinet secret with her! Ash needed something simple, without drawing suspicion. He needed to say something so discreet and slick that not even Misty would catch on to Ash's prying…something she would never see coming!

"You' know, Misty...your hair looks reallynice today."

Misty _definitely _did not see that one coming. As if an 'off' button were flipped, the redhead's mixing halted, and her blinking blue eyes directed themselves right back at Ash. Misty desperately needed to do a double take, hardly believing what Ash just said, before...

...Before she wised up. "Nice try, Ash," Misty replied sarcastically, narrowing her eyes and continuing her stirring. "But flattery will get you nowhere."

_Dammit_, Ash cursed. _Maybe that was overkill_. He was hoping Misty would have melted away over his compliment, just like most girls did. _Don't girls love to be complimented? _Of course, Ash knew his compliment was pretty basic, but he had no intentions of acting all 'Brock-ish' either. _No amount of candy is worth behaving like Brock, ESPECIALLY towards Misty!_ But maybe Ash was not trying hard enough. _I'm not about to give up this easily_. There had to be some other compliment he could shoot Misty that would be discreet, yet non-Brock-ish. _But what kinds of compliments can you possibly give a scrawny blabbermouth like Misty?!_

It was then that Ash got another 'brilliant idea.' Clearing his throat, Ash stopped mixing, drawing Misty's agitated curiosity. But he doubted she would remain angry after Ash gave her _this _compliment. "Well you look..._really _nice today," he insisted, holding back a gag at the nauseating compliment. Ash was not used to complimenting girls like this, especially in regards to how they looked. But if Ash learned anything from Brock, it was that girls loved to be complimented on their looks. "Are those new clothes?"

Misty raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. "You are so full of it, Ash," she retorted, not the answer Ash was originally hoping to get. "These are the same clothes you saw me last time in; yellow top and yellow shorts!" she huffed, reverting back to continuing her mix. "If you're gonna' B.S. your way through this, at least do it _intelligently_."

She had a point, but then again, Ash was just using the same 'B.S.' Brock would use. _Maybe following in Brock's footsteps isn't the wisest idea_. But what else could Ash use? He was not experienced in these matters, and complimenting a girl like Misty was not the easiest of tasks, either. _For one thing, she's not much of a 'girl' to begin with! WHAT kinds of compliments can you POSSIBLY give a scrawny blabbermouth like HER-?!_

'Scrawny' provoked another ingenious idea in Ash's head. Girls usually liked compliments about their clothes, hair..._looks _in general. If the hair and clothes flattering failed, Ash suddenly recalled another 'look compliment' that often made girls melt. "Seriously...you do look nice," Ash nodded, though he certainly did not believe what he said, not that he was about to voice an opinion like that to Misty! Doing so would be like knowingwhere a Team Rocket pitfall was and willingly falling into it.

Misty was getting a tad irked by the boy's flattering. Ash was never the discreet type to begin with, and Misty could read right through his scheme. His compliments, as corny as they were, were encouraged by whatever was calling Ash towards the guarded sugar cabinet. Misty knew his intentions long before Ash attempted to try softening her up.

_Though...hearing him compliment me like this...isn't so bad_, Misty thought, nearly smacking herself with her mixing spoon. _Oh snap out of it! He's doing it to get his grubby hands onto the sugar cabinet mystery, not get his hands on_... Misty bit her lip at her imagination. _Down girl_. Though Misty would be lying if she said Ash's compliments were entirely lost. _B.S. or not, it's kinda' nice to hear Ash compliment me. The most he's ever said is 'she looks like a girl.' Some compliment that was! But let's not get too excited here. It's his stomach talking right now, not his heart!_

Ash was unsure if Misty heard his last compliment, or if she was choosing to ignore him. "You _do _look nice," he repeated, a bit more confidently, praying that was more believable. "Have you lost weight?"

Misty stopped stirring. The kitchen's temperature dropped below zero in that millisecond.

_Ash's stomach WAS talking. Now he's talking through his ASS!_

"What the hell is that implying?!" Misty snapped, smacking Ash's shoulder with her goo-covered spoon, leaving a mark of sticky cookie batter on Ash's sleeve. The mush barely stuck to him when Ash jumped out of his seat, leaping away from the murderous look in Misty's eyes.

_Okay, maybe that wasn't the smartest of things to say_, Ash figured, sweatdropping and taking a few steps back as Misty shoved the mixing bowl aside and got to her feet. The enraged redhead threateningly stomped over to Ash's direction, gripping the mixing spoon like a knife. At that moment, Misty looked more like Michael Myers holding a drippy spoon instead of a bloody knife. "Is it something I said?"

"It's EVERYTHING you said!" Misty blasted, slamming her foot on the kitchen floor. "What're you implying?!"

"I didn't imply anything. I just asked if you lost weight."

"What?! Do you think I _should_?!"

That was a loaded question, but Ash was not stupid enough to give Misty an unsatisfying answer. Ash would die where he stood if he even cracked the slightest smirk. "I didn't say that." _Memo to self; don't make ANY references to Misty's figure whatsoever. Her scrawny complex probably has something to do with this, not that she's fat or anything. Jeez, what is it with girls and these things?!_

"You' know, I don't want to know what the hell you're implying," Misty groaned, running her free hand through her bangs and then rubbing her temples. "I'm getting a headache dealing with you," she grumbled, before pointing her dough-covered spoon in the direction of the back door. "If you and your 'compliments' aren't out that door by the count of three..." she threatened, whipping the spoon back in Ash's direction. The spoon's force was strong enough to send cookie batter splattering across the Ash's cringing face. "...You're gonna' have a VERY traumatic experience with this spoon, mister!"

There was no doubt Misty would live up to her threat. So before she even counted 'one,' Ash made his exit through the back door and onto the back porch. In his haste, the boy nearly tripped over Pikachu, who had stealthy slinked out the back door earlier to escape the bickering duo. Misty slammed the door shut behind Ash, followed by the clicking sound of her locking the door. Huffing, Ash plopped down on the back porch, trying to formulate his next move.

_Great, now she's pissed. Keep digging your own grave, why don't ya? _Ash lamented with a sigh. His stomach made another weird sound, but he knew it would be best to ignore it and watch the other Pokemon outside playing. The creatures were all having fun, and Ash wanted to as well, but the stupid sugar cabinet problem was probing him again. The more Misty repelled him, the more curious Ash got. _I should be more concerned about my next badge, not some stupid sugar cabinet mystery._

Blinking, he felt Pikachu rub up next to him, coercing Ash to pet the mouse. A few other curious Pokemon, Aipom and Turtwig, trotted over to see what the commotion was about. None of the creatures enjoyed seeing Ash look disappointed, even though none of them were aware of his foolish fixation with the sugar cabinet. Turtwig was anxious to see its master revert back to his typical spunk and begin training. The mischievous Aipom was always itching to play a game with Ash. And Pikachu, in general, just never liked to see Pikapi sad.

Ash did not enjoy acting downcast, either. There were plenty of better things to do today than whine over Dawn's sugar cabinet! Getting to his feet, Ash stretched and then hopped off the porch. There was no sense in worrying about the sugar cabinet anymore, anyway. Misty was impossible, and Ash had better things to concern himself with, such as training.

"Okay guys..." started Ash, turning back to Pikachu and Aipom as they scampered over to join their master. "Why don't we practice..._hey_!" he yelped, stumbling slightly when Aipom lept onto his shoulder and snatched his hat again, jumping down and running across the yard with its treasure.

A bit flabbergasted, Ash quickly rolled his eyes before breaking into a sprint, Pikachu and Turtwig on his heels. The chase went around Dawn's yard, all the way to the front porch. The foursome nearly crashed into Dawn, herself, while she was on the porch, swatting the dirt out of a floor mat. In the commotion, the poor girl dropped the mat back on the ground, dirtying it up all over again. Dawn nearly screamed when she saw Aipom _step_ on the mat before disappearing into her house. Ash and his two Pokemon nearly did the same stampede over the mat before Dawn grabbed the trainer's collar.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" Dawn snapped, nearly choking Ash in her restrain. With her other free hand, the angry coordinator viciously pointed down at the trampled mat. "I just cleaned that mat!"

Releasing himself from her grip, Ash stopped to apologize. "Sorry' Dawn, but Aipom just took off into the house-"

_...INTO the house...!_

Normally, Aipom's hat thieving annoyed Ash, but this time around, the boy could not help but smile just as mischievously. _Aipom, you're a GENIUS! _What better excuse to get back into the house? Ash just needed to get his hat back from Aipom...a valid reason. _And if I just so HAPPEN to find Aipom near the sugar cabinet..._

"Ow!" Ash yelped, nearly falling backwards off the porch when something collided into him. It took a moment for Ash to regain his balance thanks to his reflexes, and Dawn grabbing his collar again to painfully lessen the fall (oxymoronically choking Ash in the process). Once regained, Ash looked down at the source of the impact: a shaking Aipom, hat and all, grappling onto the boy's striped shirt for dear life.

"Aipom?" Ash blinked, looking back whence the Pokemon came. Suddenly, Ash felt just as terrified when he saw the murderous Misty (dripping spoon and all) glaring back at him.

"Nice try Ash!" Misty replied sarcastically. "But you'll be happy to know I found Aipom for you, so there's no need for you to come barging back into the house!"

Ash felt his mouth drop open. _How transparent AM I?! _He figured Aipom's scheme was a flawless plan; nobody would have figured it out, since it seemed perfectly legit. How the hell did Misty see right through it so fast?

_It's gotta' be a girl thing_, Ash figured, taking his traumatized Pokemon and silently retreated to the backyard. The melodious sound of Misty slamming the front door (nearly whacking Dawn in the process) resonated behind him as Ash moped. _Poor Aipom ran for dear life from Misty, though I can't blame it._

_Maybe this is a 'MISTY thing.'_

Returning to the back porch, Ash allowed Aipom to continue playing with his hat. The poor Pokemon needed 'some' form of comfort after its own traumatic encounter with 'Misty Myers.' Deciding it best to just continue training, Ash decided to have Turtwig and Pikachu spar together: Turtwig firing Razor Leafs for Pikachu to hit with its Iron Tail. At the moment, Ash's mind was too preoccupied to concoct better training ideas.

However, as for ideas to unlocking the sugar cabinet mystery...Ash was getting plenty of those! Around the forth Iron Tail, Ash got another brilliant scheme, and called over Pikachu with another "Pikapi's up to no good" smirk.

- - - - - - - - - -

It had only been about ten minutes since the Aipom incident, and Misty managed to finish the final cookie batter. Dawn and Brock were still cleaning around the house, so Misty took the liberty to pour the last batch of cookie dough onto the other pan, shaping them with Pokemon cookie cutters: Jigglypuffs, Pachirisus, Pichus, and Munchlaxes.

Misty found the Munchlax cutter ironic. Sighing, Misty snuck a few glances back at the empty candy bags on the kitchen table. The girl was hoping if she prayed hard enough, a few chocolate chips or caramel cubes would magically appear, but they never did. _All thanks to a certain Munchlax...and I'm NOT talking about May's!_

_It's gotta' be a boy thing_,Misty figured as she carefully slipped the pan into the oven on a grate under the previous pan. _You'd swear Ash was trying to unlock the secrets of Pokelantis! Of course, his imagination's on the sugar-craze right now, so he probably thinks there's candy in there or something._ Misty grinned sadistically as she sat down at the kitchen table to take a much-needed break. _Boy, won't he be disappointed. Hehe._

_But seeing as how his Aipom idea failed, maybe Ash will back off_, Misty wondered, recalling how she noticed him and Pikachu were actually training a while ago. _Once his one-track mind gets preoccupied with something else, he'll forget all about the cabinet..._

"Oh, hey Pikachu," Misty greeted as the yellow mouse suddenly walked into the kitchen. The yellow Pokemon was staggering and panting a bit, with fresh sweat glistening off its fur. "You look wiped," she noted, getting up from her seat to fetch the Pokemon a needed glass of water. "Ash training you hard again?"

Sighing, Pikachu nodded with a 'you have no idea' look. "Chaa," it squeaked, as Misty knelt down to its level and handed Pikachu a small paper cup containing the desirable drink.

_Glad' to see Ash is preoccupied with something else now_. Misty smiled as Pikachu quaffed down its water. _It never takes Ash long_. Getting back to her feet, she decided to also fetch Ash a cup of water for Pikachu to take back outside to his master. It was rather warm outside, and if Ash was training this hard, Misty figured he would need a drink. _I want him to grow up, not pass out_. "Why don't you bring this back out to him?" she offered Pikachu, before noticing the exhausted mouse suddenly flop down on the floor.

"Pikachu?!" Misty squeaked, setting the cup on the counter and rushing back to the mouse. Gingerly, the redhead picked Pikachu up and set the mouse on the counter by the sink. "Are you okay?"

"Pika," Pikachu reassured, though it still looked exhausted. Instinctively, Misty started running the sink's faucet, while searching for a washcloth to cool the Pokemon down.

"Leave it to that numbskull to overwork you," Misty hissed, searching for a cloth to dampen and wash Pikachu's face. The Pokemon was clearly overheated, and Misty did not want it to get sick. _Of course, I can't find a damn towel. Brock's sweet to do Johanna's laundry, too, but would it have killed Brock to leave ONE towel around?!_

"Wait here," Misty told the panting Pikachu, feeling sorry and panicky for the mouse's health. "I'll just go ask Dawn where her mom keeps the extra towels. Hang tight," she said, rushing out the kitchen and heading for the front door. Dawn was still on the porch cleaning a mat; the same mat Ash dirtied when he and Aipom tried to get back into the-

_…Get back…INTO THE HOUSE…!_

As if struck by lightning, Misty skidded to a halt, nearly crashing into Brock as he was happily dusting the fireplace mantel. Before the teenager could even ask what Misty's problem was, the girl spun around and dashed back into the kitchen. Her jaw dropped open at the sight before her wide aquamarine eyes. There, on the kitchen counter, stood Pikachu on its hind legs, reaching up as high as it could...

...Reaching for the _sugar cabinet_!

"HOLD IT!!" Misty blasted, the electric Pokemon freezing and evidently sweatdropping.

"About-face, cadet Pikachu," Misty ordered like a drill sergeant, the terrified mouse not thinking twice before doing so. Pikachu never even managed to get within three inches of the cabinet before Pikachupi sniffed the rat out.

"You wouldn't happen to be on a _mission_, would you, Pikachu?" Misty interrogated menacingly. The frightened Pokemon cowered in fear as she slowly made her way in its direction. "Say...under orders by that nimrodof a trainer of yours?!"

Apparently, Pikachu was just as transparent as its master. _Like trainer, like Pokemon_. But Pikachu was not about to test Misty's patience. The mouse was not quite as brave (or as reckless) as Pikapi to test Misty's patience. Still, it was worth a shot. "Pi?" Pikachu asked innocently.

Of course, Misty did not buy the mouse's fake innocence. "MARCH!" Misty ordered, pointing to the back door. For added incentive, she stomped over to the door, unlocked it, and kicked it open...not at all surprised to hear the swung door slam into a certain something...or _someone_.

Okay, Ash did not quite expect Misty to 'kick'open the door, so he never had a chance to seek cover before the door slammed into his face. The nosy boy flew onto his back, sprawled across the porch. Pikachu took this chance and dashed outside for safety, rushing over to its wounded master. Thankfully, Pikapi was conscious, and staggeringly propped himself to sit up.

_Uh, maybe spying right up against the door was not the smartest of ideas_, Ash mentally kicked himself, rubbing his nose where the door made first impact. Originally, Ash spied just wanted to make sure Pikachu was okay in the kitchen…though the poor boy never bothered to worry about his own dangerous situation behind the back door! Ash was amazed his nose was not bleeding, though it was probably red, along with the rest of his embarrassed face.

"Don't bother sending anymore Pokemon in here on a kamikaze mission!" Misty ordered, making Pikachu fearfully squeal at her tone. Poor Pikachu dreaded the possibilities of what could have happened if it remained in that kitchen too long. Pikachupi was a kind person, but she had tendencies of going crazy when Pikapi pissed her off _this _much. Pikachu did not want to have its own traumatic experience with a spoon!

Ash had no intentions of subjecting anymore of his Pokemon to Misty's rage, either. He already had two semi-traumatized Pokemon on his hands! "Aw come' on, Misty. Just tell me what's in there and I'll drop this whole thing!"

"I'll believe that when Grumpigs fly!" Misty snorted, folding her arms across her chest. "If I tellyou what's in there, then you'll be determined to _see _what it is for yourself! 'Give a Pikachu a pack of ketchup, it's gonna' want a bottle of it'!" Misty replied with her spin on 'give a mouse a cookie.' Pikachu quickly chirped a '_chu_!' with delight over the mentioning of its favorite food, while Misty groaned. _Like trainer like Pokemon is right! Another one with food on the brain!_

"Just tell me and I'll leave you alone!" Ash insisted, putting on another pitiful look for her. "_Please_?!"

_Here we go again_.Misty rolled her eyes. "Do you not know what 'no' means, Ash?!"

"Can I guess what it is, then?" Ash offered. "That way, you don't have to tell me unless I figure it out."

Misty stifled a laugh. "Yeah, like you'll be able to figure it out, Ash."

Ash begged to differ. His dictionary was sometimes limited, but his 'candy dictionary' was always state of the art! Ash knew all the treats by heart, perhaps better than he could recall all the names of Pokemon. "I'll bet it's..." he started, deciding to go with the generic. "...Chocolate."

_He never ceases to amaze me_, Misty sighed, shaking her head. _Why can't Ash be THIS focused on other things, say...figuring out how to get out of a forest. Or better yet, pay me back for my bike. After all, it was JOY who fixed my bike. Ash got lucky_. Misty decided opening one Pandora's Box per day was enough. "No," she answered, playing along for however long her patience held out. More than anything, it was always entertaining to see Ash make an ass of himself..._something he's good at._

Ash pouted briefly, a tad disappointed that the mystery was not chocolate-related. _No worries; I have other favorites_."Is it...fruity? You' know...gummy bears or fruit lollipops?"

Misty shook her head again, giggling softly. "Nope."

_That narrows it down more_. "Does it have nuts, like almonds?"

"It doesn't."

"Well, is it hard or soft candy?"

"Well...neither."

"'Neither'?!" Ash asked to himself, blinking curiously. That dramatically narrowed the list down. _If it's not hard or soft candy...what kind of candy could it be? Something in-between? _But what was between hard and soft candy? _Perhaps something that can be BOTH soft AND hard, depending on how it's prepared. You' know, like some hard candies melt in your mouth, or can be gooey or cooled_... Ash was getting delectable visions of the golden, Heaven-sent treat people called 'caramel.' _That can be hard candy if cooled properly, or...or it can be melted and…Oh God, is it good when it's melted_. He could melt away just thinking about it.

_Jeez_... Misty disturbingly thought, watching Ash get doe-eyed, his sugar-rich imagination obviously running wild again. _This is like watching Brock drool over a girl! _Misty was wondering where Croagunk was at the moment, though it was probably keeping an eye out on Brock in case some pretty girl happened to unfortunately cross the teen's path. _Gimmie a break! Brock drools over girls, Ash drools over candy...and he doesn't even know if it IS candy! Where are this kid's priorities?! But I guess it beats having TWO Brocks_. Of course, Misty would have been lying if she said she would have minded if Ash behaved this way when thinking about-

_Down girl! _Misty reminded herself. _Unless you magically transform into a piece of candy, Ash will never drool over you! _Sometimes Ash's naivety was cute. Other times…it was just downright unbelievable!

"Okay, okay..." Misty groaned, recollecting her own thoughts and snapping Ash out of his caramel fantasy. "As entertaining it is to watch you eloquently _drooling_..." she sneered, noticing the boy sheepishly wipe his mouth after that comment. "...There's a batch of cookies that'll burn if I don't tend to them," she finished, turning back towards the kitchen.

"But...I still haven't figured out what's in the cabinet." Ash replied, halting her.

"Ash, believe me," Misty snickered, grinning playfully at him. "You're nevergonna' figure it out." _That, and OTHER things._

Of course, Ash was not about to let Misty off after insulting his pride. "It's caramel, isn't it!?" Ash figured confidently, wishing above all else his favorite candy would be the winner.

Misty sighed and shook her head again at his persistence. "Ash, if it was caramel, why the hell would we hide it if we needed caramel for the cookies?!" she asked incredulously. "That makes no sense." _Not that this is the first time Ash has said something that makes no sense._

She had a point, but then again, Misty never gave Ash a 'yes' or 'no' answer, either. _Beating around the bush is a DEAD giveaway! _"You still haven't answered my question," Ash noted with a confident smirk as Misty quickly turned back away from him. "Ha! It IS caramel, isn't it!? I knew it!"

Contrary to what the sugar-crazy boy thought, Misty spun around not to be suspicious. Instead, she was just seconds away from bursting into laughter, though a few giggles escaped. _Oh my God, you'd think Ash was fighting for a million dollar question!_

Her silence was making Ash all the more obliviously positive. "It _is _caramel. Tell me!"

Rolling her eyes, Misty knew she was going to laugh hysterically if she did not get away from the situation. "No," she replied as calmly as possible, heading back towards the kitchen.

Ash blinked. "'No,' as in 'no it's not caramel,' or 'no I'm not telling you'?"

_You are so unbelievable, Ash! _Misty wanted to spin around and tell him everything to end this foolishness. However, though she had a headache, Misty was indeed enjoying this game. She grew to learn over the years that innocently torturing Ash like this was a blast for Misty. He was not getting hurt, yet this was bugging the living daylights out of him. Times like these always brought out the 'best' in Ash. Turning her head back to him, Misty stuck out her tongue. "No, I'm not telling you."

_Aw come' on!_ "Dammit!" Ash hissed, feeling just as lost as ever. Misty was enjoying this torture, while it was eating away at him. But before Ash could continue the game, Misty went back inside, and slammed (and locked) the back door.

_She's enjoying this_, Ash complained, huffing and crossing his arms, still sitting on the porch, trying to formulate his next plan. His damn stomach was constantly making taunting noises that drove Ash crazy, and Misty's game was only antagonizing him! At this rate, Ash just wanted to silence his curiosity in some little way, but how? Sending Pikachu, or any other Pokemon, into the kitchen was suicide. If anyone would go in there, it would have to be Ash.

_But...I need a valid reason to go back inside_, Ash knew. _Misty will rat me out the second she sees me, but what else can I do? Become invisible? Hehe, wouldn't that be easy? I can't exactly disguise myself, and going all "Mission Impossible" may prove to BE impossible with Misty guarding the kitchen. _

He was running out of ideas. _I need a GOOD reason to go in there. Something 'natural,' a real reason to go-_

The gears in Ash's head were already formulating his next scheme as Ash ran back to the front door. Locked or unlocked, entering the house through the back door was suicide. Plus, if Ash entered by the front door, he would be more likely to run into Dawn or Brock first...and they could _help _in the act.

"Oh no you don't! You're not gonna' trample over this mat again!" Dawn declared as she noticed Ash nostalgically running towards the porch. "If you muck up this mat again, YOU can clean it!"

"I won't dirty it," Ash reassured, being mindful of the mat as he headed for the front door. Just like last time, the boy was nearly choked when Dawn seized his collar again to stop him.

"Do you have a death wish or something?" Dawn asked incredulously. "Or are you just deaf to what Misty yelled at you when she told you to stay outside?!"

Ash bit his tongue as to prevent his mischievous grin from giving himself away. "Oh, I heard her, but..." he started, breaking away from Dawn's hold and fidgeting slightly, all part of his ingenious act. "...I have to go to the bathroom."

He was not surprised by Dawn's "how convenient" look, but she was certainly not about to challenge him. _He'll do almost ANYTHING to get back into that kitchen_, Dawn thought, though deciding to let the boy pass. "Fine, but for your sake, I'd make it quick." _Misty might kill him before he ever reaches the bathroom!_

_Score! _Ash inwardly cheered, trotting into the house and maintaining his charade's composure. Why did he not think about this sooner? The bathroom was the perfect excuse; valid, and Dawn's bathroom was conveniently right next to the kitchen! _If I can sneak out the bathroom when Misty's not looking..._

"What is this numbskull doing in the house?!" Misty's melodious scream echoed from the kitchen's threshold. Two seconds later, the redhead stomped into the living room before Ash could reach the bathroom. "I told you to stay outside!" she ranted, shooting a killer glare at Dawn on the porch. "And you let him in?!"

"He has to use the bathroom!" Dawn replied whilst raising her hands defensively. _Don't pit ME in the middle of this asinine war!_

"Oh, how _convenient_!" Misty snorted, looking up to the Heavens and shaking her head. Running a hand through her red hair, the girl groaned, glaring back down at Ash. "And the bathroom just-so-happens to be next to the kitchen!"

"This has nothing to do with the kitchen," Ash innocently reassured, though Misty's glare did not appear convinced whatsoever. He had to be careful not to overplay his hand. _Stay calm...stay valid...she can't STOP me from using the bathroom_. "I just have to go, that's all."

Misty glared her eyes deeply into Ash's, not at all convinced, but not very amused, either. An excuse like Ash's was not too funny, but like Dawn, Misty was not about to challenge it. Exhaling in agitation, she grabbed Ash's sleeve and personally guided him to the bathroom, shoving him in there and shutting the door on him. "Fine! But I'm gonna' stay right here until you come out!"

_Damn_, Ash grunted, biting his lip as he stood in Dawn's tiled bathroom. He could not sneak out of the bathroom if Misty was standing behind the door! _If only there could be some distraction...ANYTHING to get her away from the door for a minute, just so I could sneak a peak into the cabinet!_

"Listen, is that a voice I hear?"

"It speaks to me loud and clear."

Normally, Ash groaned furiously at such lines. Yet, this time around, he beamed brightly as the obnoxious Team Rocket motto reiterated outside from..._somewhere_. _Perfect timing! _Ash did not care 'where' they were, because the second Jessie and James ended their motto, Misty, Dawn, and Brock's voices could be heard. The kids must have been tending to the Team Rocket matter. And the best part was, Ash could hear footsteps..._leaving_!

The sounds of Pikachu and other Pokemon battling outside resonated, but Ash was not concerned (he rarely was regarding Team Rocket). Carefully opening the bathroom door, he poked his head out, overjoyed to see everyone (Misty included) out by the front porch, battling some Pokemon-stealing contraption of Team Rocket's.

This was Ash's chance. _I've only got about two minutes before those three..._

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off agaaaaaiin!"

"Wooobbuffet!"

_Damn, that was quicker than usual_. Picking up the pace, Ash ran into the kitchen, heading for the illustrious sugar cabinet. The clock was ticking, and he only had seconds! Of course, seconds were all Ash needed to grab the cabinet's metal handle, grinning victoriously as he gave it a swift tug...

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!!!"

As if the handle was as hot as a Fire Blast, Ash released his grip. The cabinet door shut on its own, while the guilty boy spun around. Before Ash were three pairs of eyes glaring at him from the kitchen entrance. One particular blue-green pair was glaring exceptionally devilishly. Naturally, Ash broke into a nervous sweat, dreading what Misty might do to him after this stunt.

"Uh..." Ash stammered, instantly spying the back door. "...I-I think I'll let myself out!" he rambled, running for dear life towards the door, unlocking it, and rushing back outside. He almost collided with Pikachu again, but this time around, Ash did not catch himself. Instead of running into his Pokemon, Ash tripped and fell off the porch in his haste, landing on his side. The landing hurt, but compared to what Misty probably would have done to him, it was a small price to pay.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu gasped, rushing over to its fallen master as Ash propped himself back up to his knees. Pikapi was acting especially weird today, and Pikachupi was acting especially angry, too. _Two very DANGEROUS combinations_, Pikachu again, how was today different from any other day between Ash and Misty?

Brushing himself off, Ash sighed, stealing another glance back at the door he just flew out. Through the door's window, he could see Misty ranting to an exasperated Brock and Dawn. Ash would be a damn fool to go back in there right now. Misty enjoyed tormenting him, but her patience was running thin, too.

_Well, the bathroom idea went over like a lead balloon_,Ash moaned, patting Pikachu for its concern. _I'm gonna' be lucky if she EVER believes me if I say I have to go-_

Pikachu blinked, noticing Pikapi's patting hand froze. Blinking, it looked up at its master. For some strange reason, Ash looked as though he had just been overcome by the worst revelation. "Pikapi?"

Little did the mouse know, Pikapi _did _have a horrible revelation. His stomach made another weird sound, but…it was only now that Ash realized the sounds were _not _hunger-related. "Oh great," Ash moaned, whimpering slightly as he got to his feet. Pikachu was baffled to see the boy bravely trudge back to the kitchen door and knock on it. Dear lord, did Pikapi have a death wish?

"WHAT DO YOU WANT _NOW_?!" Misty blasted at the top of her lungs, opening the door but not allowing Ash inside. "What lame-ass excuse did you concoct this time to get in?"

Unlike last time, Ash was not holding back any smirks or signs of mischief. This time around, he was _not_ playing. "I uh...have to go to the bathroom."

_Yeah, like I'm gonna' fall for that twice_, Misty glared at him, finding little humor in Ash's game anymore. His last stunt was Misty's breaking point. Ash was just acting dumb and immature by now, crossing the cute line and being plain stupid. "Tough crap."

Ash figured it best to avoid that bad little pun. "I'm not kidding this time, Misty."

"'THIS time'?!" Misty interrogated, making Ash shudder as his grave dug deeper. Oh boy, this whole scenario was going to end either very good, or very, _very_ badly.

*** To Be Continued ***

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**A/N**: Mwahaha…I'm evil, neh? Ash almost always gets the worst end of my stories. So, what do you think thus far? Lots and lots more Ash torture/cuteness is ahead in the second half. What stunts will Sato-Chan pull next? Wait and see.

And yes, I changed this story's timeframe from Season 12 back to Season 10, just because I miss Aipom's adorable hat stealing. Jeez, why is it that nine times out of ten, when characters' Pokemon evolve, the Pokemon lose their quirks? (Eek, I'm glad Wobbuffet can't evolve!). Anyway, I hope nobody minded Aipom's bit. The monkey was so comical before it went to Dawn and evolved. Fanfiction and creative license helps ease the pain.

So, are you having as much fun with this story as I had writing it? Feel free to send a review! I'd love to hear from you wonderful readers. Your reviews help me keep on writing, and I appreciate them very much!


	3. Chapter Three

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_. There are several other comical references made in this story. I also don't own the _Barbie_ franchise.

**COMMENTS**: Alrighty, then! "With Sugar On Top" winds down to its final two chapters. What crazy sugar-high antics will Ash pull this week? Hehe, you might be surprised. ^_^ Enjoy!

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* With Sugar On Top *

_Aiselne Phoenix_

**Chapter Three**

Apparently, Misty failed to realize that while chocolate and caramel were two of the Eight Wonders of the World, large amounts of the candies tended to backfire in the form of laxatives. It felt almost like a punishment for having too much! Then again, Ash failed to see why Misty was not undergoing this same cruel bodily treatment, since she ate just as much candy as Ash. It was always assumed that Ash was the one with the cast-iron stomach, not Misty. _Maybe it's just a girl thing. _

Right now, all Ash was certain about was _thank God for Brock_. The teenager was the only reason Ash was allowed back inside the house when Brock finally stepped in and note, "Uh, Misty, I _really _don't think he's faking this time." Typical Brock probably knew that 'look' from having to deal with so many little brothers and sisters, especially the ones undergoing potty training.

After that 'lovely' matter, Ash had no qualms about going back outside for some fresh air. At this rate, candy was notappetizing whatsoever. In all honesty, all Ash wanted was to know 'what' was being kept in the cabinet. He did not want to eat it or even see it anymore...just know what the hell it was so his damn curiosity would shut up!

_This day is getting worse and worse_, Ash groaned as he noticed the sun begin to set. Johanna would return home within the hour, and then everyone would partake in Brock's spaghetti and meatballs dinner. Under any other circumstances, Ash would have hardly been able to wait for the delicious supper, but _now_… Ash was in no mood for food. _Maybe I'll feel better within the hour_. He was not sick...the chocolate was just backfiring, though Ash doubted there was much left in him by now. _How can something so sweet be so...deadly?!_

Another thought struck him, one that made Ash snicker. _Kinda' like Misty._

Ash gave himself a quick mental kick after that remark. _No, NOTHING like Misty! 'Deadly,' yeah, but Misty's not 'sweet!' She's anything but sweet!_

_And she's stubborn, too! God, why can't she just TELL me already?! It's not like this is a government secret or she's hiding a million bucks! Candy or not, nothing's worth hiding THIS much! _But Ash figured Misty was just pulling this mystery to bug him. _She enjoys my suffering, though 'why' she enjoys it I'll never know. It's gotta' be another girl thing._

Figuring he might as well quit while he was behind, Ash decided to finally work on some training to preoccupy himself before dinner. He was feeling a little better, though the boy felt more discouraged than anything else. Ash never was the type to simply let things slide. _Maybe I only have myself to blame for this_. Ash figured he already knew the answer to that possibility.

"Well...why don't we practice your Volt Tackle, okay Pika-?" Ash blinked, turning around and searching for the rodent. Moments ago, the mouse had been faithfully sitting beside Ash. Come to think of it, Aipom was bouncing around nearby, too, but no longer.

Come to think of it... "Where are all the _other _Pokemon?" Ash asked himself, noticing he was the only one left in Dawn's backyard.

"Listen, is that a _confused _voice I hear?"

"It questions me loud and clear."

Sweatdropping, Ash sighed before turning around to the familiar voices. Sure enough, the infamous thieves stood in Dawn's backyard, next to a large net full of all the yard's Pokemon, no less. _It didn't take them long to come back for an encore._

"On the wind..." Jessie gushed with a dramatic flick of her long red hair.

"...Past the stars!" James added, punching a fist into the air.

"In your ear!" Meowth sang, hopping on his teammates' shoulders.

"Bringing chaos at a break-neck pace!" Jessie continued, brushing Meowth off.

"Dashing hope, putting fear in its place!" James noted, whipping out a rose and tossing it to Jessie.

"A rose by any other name's just as sweet."

"When everything's worse, our work is complete!"

"Jessie!"

"And it's James!"

"Meowth...now _dat's _a name!" Meowth included, hopping back on their shoulders.

"Putting the do-gooders in their place!" Jessie posed behind James.

"We're Team Rocket..." James stared, posing identically.

"...And we're in you face!" The threesome declared, Wobbuffet and Mime Jr. popping in for their respective cameos.

Not a second after Mime Jr. finished cutely squealing "Mime! Mime!" the Rocket group shrieked thanks to the one thousand volts Pikachu gave them. Normally, the trio would have blasted off by then, but miraculously; the Thunderbolt only left them charred and semi-conscious on the ground. Meanwhile, the other freed Pokemon casually scampered off, none of them overly concerned whenever it came to the Rocket stooges.

Regaining herself, Jessie stumbled to her feet. "How the hell did the Pokemon get out?!" she yelled, automatically glaring at James and Meowth for possible incompetence, while also taking some frustration out on Wobbuffet before recalling it.

"Maybe we bought a cheap net," James pondered as he returned his precious Mime Jr. to safety. The Rockets had little funds after the twerps blew up their latest mech just an hour ago during their first heist.

"Maybe you guys should drop the motto."

The trio blinked, groaning as they once again saw Pikachu with its rightful owner. Standing casually before the freed Pokemon, Ash raised his eyebrows at the bumbling thieves, though keeping an eye on them in the event they attempted swiping the Pokemon again. Besides, watching others fail was sadistically entertaining for Ash at the moment, who had been bumbling around all day, himself.

Jessie, James, and Meowth had noticed the twerp was not around during their first heist earlier that day. Of course, the trio considered themselves lucky, too, but apparently second time was not the charm. _Leave it to that twerp to mess up another flawless plan!_

Growling, Jessie ran a hand through her red hair, shooting another glare at James. She could not stand that bratty twerp, but she also had to agree with Ash (for once). "I hate to admit it, but maybe the twerp's right," she wondered. "Maybe if we spent less time reciting the motto and more time paying attention to stealing Pokemon..."

"Maybe you're right, Jess," James figured with a shrug. "Do you know how much time we might save if we _didn't _do the motto?" he asked rhetorically before doing the math in his head. "Maybe if we saved it for _after _we got the Pokemon."

"Yeah...but it just doesn't feel right without starting with the motto."

"I hear ya, Jess. It's just not the same."

"We tried theme songs and dance routines. It's really not the same!"

"Maybe if we shorted the motto to, you' know, one-liners?"

"But James, how could we possibly shorten the motto to just one-liners?"

"I know...we have so much to say..."

"YOUS HAVE _TOO _MUCH TA' SAY!!" Meowth screamed, using a Fury Swipes frenzy on Jessie and James to finally shut them up. "Will you two idiots stop yackin' already?! No wonda' we neva' get Pikachu, or anytin' _else_! Stop flappin' ya gums!"

_And they wonder why they never get anything done_, Ash sighed, shaking his head whilst the trio mindlessly argued amongst themselves. It was never too hard to retrieve the stolen Pokemon when Team Rocket got preoccupied with their motto. Sure, the motto was annoying, but it was also the perfect distraction-

_…Distraction…_

_Hold on a minute_... Ash thought, feeling another menacing grin pulling his lips as he watched the fighting Jessie, James, and Meowth. _When they last showed up, everyone, Misty included, took off after them. Misty totally forgot about me to save the Pokemon_. Heavens knew Team Rocket sucked at stealing Pokemon, but they were pretty efficient when it came to providing distractions. Ash also had to admit they were decent masters of _disguise_…

…For another rare moment, Ash was neverso happy to see the bumbling thieves!

"Hey, Team Rocket!" he called, interrupting the trio's mindless bickering back to the young trainer. "I've got a proposal for you!"

Jessie, James, and Meowth blinked, exchanging "is he serious?" looks. Either this offer would end with them getting Pikachu, or them getting blasted off to the moon (again). "P-_proposal_?!"

- - - - - - - - - -

_*Several huddled whispers later…*_

"_You need a way to get inside the house…without the redhead twerpette noticing?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_I dunno, twerp. What's in it for US?"_

"_Brock cooked a ton of spaghetti and meatballs."_

"_Oooooh!! Count me in!"_

"_Hold ya Horsea, Jimmy! We ain't leavin' without Pika…did you just say SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS, twerp?!"_

"_Yup! All you can eat…but you gotta' get me in the house, first."_

"_Meeeowth! Count Meowth in! Meowthy loves meatballs, right Jess?"_

"_Meowth…James…WILL YOU TWO NUMBSKULLS STOP THINKING ABOUT FOOD?!"_

"_Aaw, come' on Jessie! We're hungry!"_

"_Argh…so am I, James, but…but…grrrr…dammit, twerp! You'd better not be tricking us!"_

"_Trust me, I'm not. I just need you guys to help me get into the house without Misty and the others noticing. Can you do that?"_

_*One huddled second later between Jessie, James, and Meowth…*_

"_Hehehehehe…alright, twerp. We've got a deal. Don't worry…we know the PERFECT way to get you inside that house. Hehehe…"_

- - - - - - - - - -

Dawn's pink Poketch read 18:52. "Mom's running late..." she sighed to nobody in particular, kneeling down in the kitchen to give a jumpy Pachirisu the last Poffin. _Now I'M running out of Poffins. I hope Mom bought a LOT of ingredients_. Johanna said she would return by six-thirty, and it was almost seven o'clock. Brock's spaghetti and meatballs were already getting cold on the kitchen table, and the cookies (which did not come out too bad, if Dawn did say so herself) were finished and placed in a basket on the counter. Everything was set and ready to go, except Johanna had yet to return home.

"You don't think she got stuck in traffic, do you?" Misty asked as she and Azuril came into the kitchen to check on Dawn. Despite the coordinator's favorite line, "no need to worry," Dawn _was _worrying right now. Johanna was only a half-hour late, and there could be rush hour, though Misty wondered if a town like Twinleaf had rush hour traffic like Cerulean City.

Sighing again, Dawn got up, shrugging. "Maybe, or the groomers got backed up." There were plenty of possibilities, both good and bad, explaining why Johanna was tardy. Dawn just hoped whatever the reason was it was not something bad.

"Honey, I'm home!"

Perking at the call, Dawn and Misty ran out of the kitchen into the living room. Brock had just finished dusting when the front door opened. The three kids stopped as they took note of the woman in the doorway; navy blue hair, identical to Dawn's, and in her arms was Glameow…who was not looking too good at the moment.

"...Mom?!" Dawn asked, raising an eyebrow as she made her way over to the woman. Normally, Dawn would have greeted Johanna with a hug, but...something did not seem quite right. For one thing, Johanna's hair looked...bunched up, like a bun, rather than its usual style.

Plus, Glameow was looking odd, too. "Uh...my God, what happened to Glameow?!" Dawn gasped, her blue eyes widening in shock at the purple cat. For some odd reason, Glameow's face looked rounder than usual, and it's entire body looked smaller for some ungodly reason. That, and its tail was shorter and looked like someone painfully wrapped it around a pole, rather than retaining its normal curl. "I thought you took it to the groomers," Dawn recalled, not wanting to sound rude, but... "It looks..._horrible_."

"Hey!" Glameow shouted before 'Johanna' painfully pinched its backside and hissed a "_shutup,Meowth_!" under her breath, coercing the cat to remember itself. "Uh...I mean, Glameow! Glam!" the cat meowed, not sounding anywhere near as melodious as a _real _Glameow.

"Glameow sounds sick," Brock noted as he and Misty came behind Dawn, observing the ill-looking cat and placing a hand over its nervous head. "And it's warm, too."

"Uh...well..." 'Johanna' stammered, trying to come up with an excuse. "You see, Glameow got sick at the groomers."

Dawn's face fell sympathetically. "Aw, poor thing," she cooed, taking her mother's cat into her arms and cradling it. Glameow must have really been sick, because it did not even feel like Dawn was holding a 'real' Glameow. "It's fur feels...stiffer." _Mom pampers Glameow like crazy, and its fur is usually silky smooth. _

Knowing their cover would be close to ruined if they did not hurry, 'Johanna' snatched 'Glameow' from Dawn and told it to 'now run along like a good Glameow' (which made her look _more _suspicious for ignoring her Pokemon's ill condition). _Stay calm!_ "Oh, and you'll never guess who I bumped into on my way home, sweetie," 'Johanna' started, turning to her side to unveil a man standing next to her.

"P-professor Rowan?!" Dawn gasped in shock at the professor.

"Well hello, Dawn," Rowan greeted, his voice sounding rather forced, as if he had a cold. _Maybe something's going around_, Dawn pondered for a moment before shaking his hand, blinking at how...smooth it felt. Men at the professor's age had rougher skin, but...Professor Rowan's was...remarkably soft. _Hand cream, maybe? The skin products of today can work miracles, though I didn't think they worked THIS well._

"Wow, professor," Dawn heard Brock compliment from behind her. "You're looking good. You look thirty years younger!"

"Oh stop it!" 'Rowan' gushed with a wave of his hand, noticing a few "don't blow this" looks coming from 'Johanna's' direction. "I, uh...just had cosmetic surgery!"

The three kids were impressed. The professor _did _look thirty years younger. In fact, he looked more like an older teenager with a fake beard on! His gray hair was longer and his skin looked much younger. "Wow..." Brock complimented, hoping he could look that good once he reached Rowan's age. _I'd never have to worry about girls again! _"Good for you." _Maybe him and Dawn's mom are going out...hehe._

'Johanna' decided to butt in. "Professor Rowan just happened to be in the neighborhood, so..."

"'In the neighborhood'?!" Dawn questioned curiously. "He lives in _Sandgem Town_, Mom!" Sandgem was not excruciatingly far away, but certainly not a hop, skip, and a jump from Twinleaf, either. It would take at least the vast majority of a day to make the trip.

"I uh..." 'Rowan' stammered, getting more "do something" glares from 'Johanna'. "...Oh! I wanted to see how your Pokemon were doing, and I heard you were visiting Jes-" he choked when 'Johanna' painfully jabbed his side. _Can we be anymore obvious?!_ "...I-I mean _Johanna_, your mother!" he corrected nervously, breaking into a sweat.

"Oh..." Dawn blinked. "...Well, you didn't have to come all this way, Professor. You should've called. Me and my friends would have stopped by tomorrow."

Dawn's reminder of "friends" instantly spurred 'Johanna' and 'Rowan's attentions as the adults exchanged discreet grins. "Speaking of friends..." 'Johanna' started, her and the professor turning to their final colleague. "There's someone we'd like you to meet, Dawn dear."

_Mom never used to call me 'Dawn dear' before_, Dawn strangely thought. But before the girl could read any further, Dawn and her friends blinked, turning to see the other companion patiently standing behind 'Johanna' and professor. There was a young girl behind them, clad in a pink (of all colors) dress, with a matching headband in her long blonde hair.

"This is Barbara!" 'Johanna' introduced, patting the blonde's hair like a pet, causing the little girl to scrunch her face awkwardly. "She just moved in down the street and doesn't know anybody in town yet. She works at the groomers and I just insisted she met you and your friends, Dawn!"

Blinking curiously, Dawn's blue eyes darted between her mother and the new girl. Well, this 'Barbara' certainly looked shy, though it was only natural since she was new in Twinleaf. Putting on a friendly smile, Dawn extended a hand to the timid blonde. "Well, nice to meet you, Barbara," the navy-haired girl chirped pleasantly, shaking the shy Barbara's sweaty hand. _She's so nervous, poor girl_. "My name's Dawn. I'm a Pokemon coordinator. And these are my friends, Brock and Misty," Dawn introduced to her friends on each side.

"Um…" Barbara muttered softly, her voice barely audible and causing Dawn, Brock, and Misty to lean closer to hear. Naturally, the shy little Barbara cringed over the awkward attention, squeaking "…H-hi."

"You sure are a shy young lady," Brock observed, causing Misty and Barbara to blink strangely at his words. Flashing the blonde a smile, the teenager extended his own hand to the sheepish girl, firmly shaking Barbara's warm hand. "By the way, are you a breeder? Dawn's mom said you worked at the Pokemon groomers."

For a moment, Dawn and Misty wondered if Brock was indirectly attempting to hit on Barbara. Sure, the blonde girl was cute, but she was a little young for Brock's age. Then again, heavens knew Brock was desperate. Judging by the bullets Barbara was sweating, the poor blonde did not seem to be enjoying the direction this conversation was headed.

Groaning, Misty was about to step in, before blushy Brock beat her to the punch line. Whipping out a pen and paper pad, the teenager leaned closer to the terrified Barbara. "You wouldn't happen to know the phone numbers of other breeders, would you? Say, pretty young ladies closer to fifteen…_my_ age…do you have an older sister-OW!!"

Fortunately, Misty and Barbara had nothing to worry about. Croagunk stepped in at the perfect time and sent Brock on his merry way with a Poison Jab. _Thank God._

"Well anyway..." Dawn sweatdropped as Croagunk dragged Brock away into the kitchen, reminding Dawn of the dinner still awaiting them. "Um, why don't we talk over dinner?" she suggested, finally inviting the three arrivals further into the house. "Brock made spaghetti and meatballs, and we also cooked up some cookies...for you, Mom," Dawn smile, also noting 'Rowan' and 'Barbara'. "Though you two are more than welcomed to join us, too."

_BINGO!! _'Johanna', 'Rowan', and 'Barbara' discreetly exchanged victorious grins before accepting Dawn's proposal. While 'Johanna' and 'Rowan' ran into the kitchen (famished and hardly waiting to taste the prophesized spaghetti and meatballs), Dawn followed them, accompanied by 'Barbara' and...

"You look _very _familiar," Misty observed carefully, making 'Barbara' shudder. "Have we met somewhere before?"

_Don't blow this! DON'T blow this! _"Uh...maybe you met my sister," 'Barbara' shrugged nervously, trying to get away from the curious redhead before it was too late.

"YOU _DO_ HAVE A SISTER?!" a miraculously-recovered Brock screamed from the kitchen, before Croagunk silenced him again. Dawn and Misty just rolled their eyes and shook their heads. Brock would never change, would he?

Sweatdropping, and sweating underneath the pink poofy dress, 'Barbara' swallowed nervously. "Uh...may I use your bathroom before we eat?"

"Oh sure," Dawn smiled back with a nod, pointing in the bathroom's direction. "Just don't be long, cause' the food's a little cold already," she admitted, though it was through no fault of her own. Nudging 'Barbara' towards her bathroom, Dawn giggled to her new friend. "I'll save you a seat, okay Barbie?"

'Barbara' nearly tripped on the way to the bathroom, making Misty give 'Barbara' a weird look as the blonde disappeared into the bathroom. No doubt, that Barbara character was a weird little girl. Of course, Misty knew it would be rude to make assumptions about a person she met five minutes ago. However, Misty could not help but feel nostalgic irony when she was around 'Barbara'…as if this moment happened once before...

_…Nah_, Misty shook her red head as she joined the others into the kitchen. _Ash is outside with his Pokemon. It couldn't be!_

**

* * *

**

* To Be Continued in the Last Chapter *

**A/N**: Hehehehehe. I couldn't resist! I just *adore* the Celadon City episodes (readers of "It's Her Party, and She'll Cry If I Want To" probably remember the Celadon jokes ^_^). Classics! Why didn't I use the name "Ashley"? Well, we've gotta' have _some_ originality, here (plus, the Barbie joke was too good to pass up!).

Oh, and please don't send me whiny reviews over how Dawn mistaken her mom's identity. Think about it, folks: it took May and Max a while to realize Jessie and James posed as Norman and Caroline back in Advanced Generation! James once posed as Professor Oak in the Johto series, and it took a while for the twerps to notice that, too. So please don't claim I'm portraying the cast as idiots, when this isn't the first time Team Rocket has duped the twerps like this. I base my character portrayals solely on how the kids are portrayed in the anime.

The final chapter will be posted later this week. I realize my updates have been rather quick for this story. That's actually because the friend I've dedicated this fic to has been hounding me to keep updating (ignorant to the fact that I have 'other' things to do, on top of owning temperamental internet access. *sighs* I'd normally be mad at her, but she's been kind enough to let me use her computer to update this story quicker, which seems only fair). I normally don't update this fast, so savor it everyone!

While I'm at it, thanks to everyone who's reviewed this story so far! I love hearing from my readers! ^_^ I hope you're continuing to enjoy this fic, and hope you'll enjoy it's approaching conclusion.


	4. Chapter Four

**COPYRIGHT NOTE**: I don't own _Pokemon / Pocket Monsters_. There are several other comical references made in this story. I also don't own the _Barbie_ franchise.

**COMMENTS**: Alrighty, everyone, let's all sing: "I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world!" Hehehehe, Aiselne is merciless to her poor Sato-Chan, isn't she? So, how the heck does this crazy little story end? Read on, and you'll find out! ^_^

* * *

*** With Sugar On Top ***

_Aiselne Phoenix_

**Chapter Four**

"Oh my God!" 'Barbara' loudly groaned in exasperation. Brown eyes wide and cheeks flush pink, the 'girl' dropped ever so ladylike to Dawn's cold bathroom floor, yanking off the obnoxious blonde wig. "How the hell does James stand wearing women's clothes?! This is embarrassing!"

Ash was starting to wonder if whatever was in the sugar cabinet was worth _this_!

_My proposal was for Team Rocket to sneak me into the house. Well, they certainly succeeded in that, though I never said ANYTHING about cross-dressing! _At this rate, Ash would have happily disguised himself as the damn Glameow over being...'Barbara!'

_Don't you mean 'Barbie?' _Ash sighed, running a hand through his freed black hair. What in God's name possessed him to accept Team Rocket's 'brilliant' idea? Sure, posing as Dawn's "new neighbor" worked ten times better than expected, but..._'Barbie'?! Of all names, THAT'S what I'm gonna' be called through the rest of this ordeal?! 'Ashley's looking pretty appealing at the moment!_

Suddenly, Ash was starting to feel sick to his stomach all over again. _If Gary and Paul EVER found out about this_... Ash did not even want to consider such nightmarish possibilities!

_NO amount of candy is worth this kind of humiliation!_

Ash figured he should quit while everyone was still under the assumption that 'Barbara' was real…before they made any connections to Ash. _I'll say I'm sick and run 'home.' Wait a few minutes, and then come back inside as myself, acting like I just got back from training with my Pokemon_. One consolation: Pikachu already knew about this scheme, so Ash did not have to worry about the mouse blowing his cover again. _Though which is worse; Pikachu ratting me out, or laughing itself into unconsciousness at how ridiculous I look?! _Though considering the pink dress Jessie and James forced him into, Ash could not blame the mouse's reaction. _I'm gonna' have to shower Pikachu with ketchup packets for a whole year after this, just so it keeps its mouth shut!_

Like it or not, Ash refused to go through with this plan anymore. He still wanted to know what was in the sugar cabinet, but not this badly! _Asking Team Rocket for help was like digging my own grave, too_. Getting back up on his feet, he pulled the annoying blonde wig back on his head and fixed himself, or 'Barbara,' up. _Just go back out and say you're not feeling well. They'll understand_. Pink and primped up once more, Ash opened the bathroom door...

"Oh…hi there."

Skidding to a halt, Ash, or 'Barbara,' jumped in surprise to see none other than Misty standing before him. _Oh great_, Ash thought, swallowing loudly as he braced himself for why ever Misty was waiting behind the bathroom door again. _Don't tell me she figured me out! _Ash knew Misty still kept the memories of Celadon City stored for a rainy day, probably to use as ammunition whenever Ash got on her nerves. _If she finds out I cross-dressed a second time…er…well…'third' time, actually…but…that Romeo and Juliet thing stayed between me, Brock, Max, and May! _Ash practically forced his Hoenn friends to undertake blood oaths and never tell Misty (or anyone) about that fiasco again! _Still…this 'Barbie' thing isn't going to be much better!_

Feeling as though he was standing before a death sentence, Ash gulped again, sweating bullets and attempting to resume his role as 'Barbara.' "Um…do you need to go?" he asked timidly (abhorring the girly strain in his voice), gesturing towards the vacant bathroom behind him. Why else would Misty be standing before him? _Unless…she KNOWS._

"Oh, no. Nothing like that," Misty reassured with a passive wave of her hand. Still, the fact that the redhead was not smiling indicated to Ash that he should not relax just yet. "It's just…you _do_ look very familiar."

_Stay calm! STAY CALM!!_ Ash yelled to himself, feeling his obnoxious wig slip and slide due to his hair doused in beads of sweat. "Uh…really?" 'Barbara' squeaked coyly with a shrug. "Well…I…u-uh…have a twin sister…" He figured the stupid sister topic would be his only saving grace. "Maybe…"

"Nah," Misty shook her head, though Ash noticed a smile was forming on her lips when Misty giggled. "You just remind me of a friend of mine," she noted, pointing a finger at 'Barbara's reddening face. "You have almost identical brown eyes!" Oh God, Ash could already see the writing on the wall! The boy's said eyes widened in horror as Misty's lips curled more playfully. Yup, this was it! Misty knew the truth! Ash was dead (or soon would be, anyway).

"I like that color."

…Well…maybe Ash was not 'totally' dead. His brown eyes blinking, the terrified boy, er, 'girl,' bravely looked into Misty's soft blue-green eyes. For once in his life, Ash did not feel like he was looking into a devil's eyes, either. But…how was this possible? Misty knew who 'Barbara' really was, right? Or…

"Actually, that same friend of mine is outside training with his Pokemon," Misty added, before nudging 'Barbara's arm (nearly sending a stunned Ash through the ceiling in the process). "There's an empty seat next to mine at the kitchen table. You can sit next to me, if you'd like, Barbara."

Being called 'Barbara' made Ash cringe, but there was one small reassurance. Misty obviously did not realize 'Barbara's true identity (thank God). A part of Ash pouted over the fact that Misty seemed willing to leave "her friend training outside" out all night, never calling him for dinner. Of course, Ash also realized that if Misty left to fetch 'Ash,' his secret would be exposed. Ash had to count his blessings.

"Well…o-kay," 'Barbara' stammered, before nodding and following Misty to the kitchen. Ash had to admit, when Misty started talking about him, Ash automatically assumed she would have begun ranting: "Oh, my friend's such a dork!" and "He's been acting like a three-year-old all day!"…something to that effect. He could not stop wondering why Misty said that comment about his eye color, either.

"Actually, though…" Misty suddenly trailed, perking Ash's attention again as she stopped and folded her arms across her chest. "…I haven't heard from him in a few hours. I know he's been outside training, but it's late, and…he wasn't feeling well earlier." Ash blinked in surprise upon noticing Misty discreetly bite her lip for a second. "I originally thought he was just screwing around, but…now I'm not so sure. I hope he's not 'really' sick. Maybe I should go check on him-"

"Oh, I'm sure he's fine!" 'Barbara' piped up, doing his best to remain as collected and believable as possible. In a way, Ash was amazed Misty bothered to care about his well being, considering she was a raving lunatic earlier. But, maybe after an afternoon of simmering her temper (and simmering her sugar-high), Misty was not so bad after all. Ash would have been lying if he said he disliked hearing Misty sound concerned for him. It was sweet…

Ash nearly smacked himself upside the head. A few hours ago, he claimed Misty was anything but sweet. Now, well, maybe that was an exaggeration…slight exaggeration…teeny-weeny exaggeration…no big deal.

Okay, okay, it was a BIG exaggeration. That was the weird thing about Misty Williams. One minute, her temper was as violent as her red hair, the next minute her mood was as tranquil and serene as her aquamarine eyes. Without a doubt, Misty was a unique individual. Even Ash had to admit, for once, that Misty was indeed acting sweet…

…Unfortunately, sweet or mean, if Misty went searching for 'Ash,' she was bound to eventually figure out 'Barbara.' "Pokemon trainers don't usually like to be disturbed during their training, after all," 'Barbara' noted from experience, hoping Misty would agree. Of course, 'Barbara' needed an excuse to explain 'why' she knew so much about trainers, too. _I'm supposed to be a breeder/groomer, remember?_ "My…uh…sister is a trainer, and she never likes to be disturbed when training. I'm sure your friend will come inside when he's ready."

It seemed to take a moment, but eventually Misty's smile broadened. "Thanks, Barbara," she replied, placing a hand on the 'girl's shoulder, causing Ash to jump slightly. That pink dress was getting very stuffy all of a sudden, though it was difficult for Ash not to smile back. "Well, Brock is reheating his food in the microwave. His food's really good, so it always tastes great." Oh yes, Ash knew that fact very well. "You'll love it," Misty reassured, before leading 'Barbara' towards the kitchen. Perhaps this evening would turn out okay after all.

_Click!_

Perhaps not. Following the sharp click of an unlocked door, Misty and 'Barbara' about-faced and glanced at the front door of Dawn's house. The knob turned, the door opened, and Ash felt his grand scheme fall apart all over again. Right before his wide brown eyes came a blue-haired woman and Glameow strolling into the living room.

"Oh, hello," Johanna...the _real _Johanna...greeted as she noticed Misty and an unknown girl standing in her living room. Hefting two large grocery bags in her arms, the woman smiled particularly in the direction of the unknown blonde. "I don't seem to remember you," Johanna said politely, placing the bags on the floor to free her arms and hang her coat on a nearby rack. "Are you one of Dawn's friends?"

_Actually, yes_, Ash thought matter-of-factly. Of course, Ash dared not reveal his true identity, lest Johanna forever assume her daughter was friends with a cross-dresser. "Yes, ma'am," 'Barbara' replied with a polite bow…mindful not to bow too low and dislodge his wig.

"This is Barbara," Misty introduced, causing Ash to cringe again, feeling his plans sink further upon hearing "she just moved into town." Ash _really_ wished Misty never mentioned that tidbit of information.

"Really?" Johanna blinked, cocking her head curiously. "That's funny. I don't recall any new neighbors. What part of Twinleaf did you move into, Barbara…um…I'm sorry, I don't believe I got your last name."

_Uh-oh…_ Ash was sinking faster than the St. Anne! Misty was now suspicious, shooting 'Barbara' a plethora of weird looks, and Johanna's innocent inquiries only intensified Ash's anxiety. He needed to exit stage left _immediately_! "Uh…uh…" he stammered, taking a few steps back from Misty. The last thing Ash wanted to do was set Misty on another rampage again, especially since she had been acting so nice to him (well, nice to 'Barbara'). The problem was Ash could not afford for anyone to realize 'Ash' and 'Barbara' were the same person!

"…I'm afraid I don't feel very well…" was the best lie Ash could concoct under pressure (though it was not technically a lie, either). Ash knew he was not the only person in trouble, too. _Just wait till' Dawn sees two Johanna's in her house!_ But Team Rocket was on their own! "…So I'll be leaving," 'she' bowed again respectfully and then headed towards the front door. Nobody stopped 'Barbara,' since she was a 'guest,' and Ash wanted to keep things calm before the inevitable bomb went off. "Nice' to meet you!"

"Barbie...are you okay...?" Dawn called back into the living room. The coordinator's pink boots stopped at the kitchen threshold when Dawn noticed the woman and Glameow standing in the living room. Ash wanted to bolt out the front door before plans went any further to hell than they already did. "...M-_Mom_?!"

"Hi dear," Johanna greeted, kneeling down beside her grocery bag while her beautified Glameow freely roamed around the house. "Sorry I'm late, but I had a terrible time getting Hondew Berries. The store's shelves were empty and I had to wait for them restock, but it was worth it," she smiled victoriously, taking out a clear plastic bag full of the precious green and yellow-spotted fruits. "These are Glameow's favorite, and they make terrific Poffins…"

Johanna chatted onward about how rare and delicious Hondew Poffins were, but Dawn only caught bits and pieces of her mother's sentences. The girl kept blinking her blue eyes, darting from the kitchen where one Johanna was eating, and in the living room where _another _Johanna was talking. _Am I seeing things? _"Mom...is that...really you?"

Johanna blinked, setting her berry bag aside and putting on a silly look. "Well of course, dear. I think I would know."

One thing was for sure; _this _Johanna looked more like Dawn's mother. Her hair was the same short length and her voice sounded perfect. Above all, she wore that expression hinting "I thought you told me 'no need to worry,' Dawn." Such was a look only Johanna could materialize, and also a look Dawn knew all too well. Plus, Glameow looked twenty times better, too.

_Meaning..._

"Oh my God!" Dawn exclaimed, spinning back into the kitchen where Johanna #2 and the teenage Professor Rowan were stuffing themselves with Brock's spaghetti and meatballs. _That's NOT my mom! Come to think of it, that's NOT Professor Rowan, either! Cosmetic surgery isn't THAT good! _"Who are you?!" Dawn demanded, while Misty and the real Johanna joined her daughter. Naturally, everyone in the kitchen gasped as they saw _another _Johanna standing before their eyes.

Momentarily forgotten, 'Barbara' took this opportunity to slink out the front door.

Meanwhile, Johanna #2 and 'Professor Rowan' exchanged guilty glances. Swallowing whatever filled their mouths, Jessie/Johanna garbled "Uh..._she_'s an imposter!" pointing an accusing finger at the real Johanna.

The real Johanna did not know what to make of this fiasco. However, she knew instantly that the 'Professor Rowan' at the table was not _the _Professor Rowan. "Oh Glameow! Come here please!" Johanna called. A moment later, the obedient cat scampered over to its master's side, dragging something else into the kitchen with it. Blinking at the sight Glameow dragged, Johanna could not help but ask "And what is that?"

Glameow released the tail of some 'Glameow wannabe' it found snooping around upstairs for valuables. Thanks to Glameow giving the cat what-for, the lookalike appeared as nothing more than a Meowth who fell into a purple paint bucket (and got his tail stuck in a garbage disposal).

"MEOWTH?!" Everyone else gasped in shock, causing the cat to cringe and run for cover next to his disguised teammates. None of the Rockets were incognito anymore.

"Who are you?!" Johanna demanded sharply. Glameow instinctively stiffened in attack mode, making the three nervous thieves jump out of their seats and stand by the kitchen back door.

Johanna #2 just curled her lips defiantly. "Ha! Listen, is that a twerpish mother I hear?" Johanna/Jessie asked rhetorically. On cue, she and James dramatically unveiled their Team Rocket uniforms underneath their disguises.

"She yells at us, loud and clear," James rhymed, standing back-to-back with Jessie.

"What waz I telling yous about flappin' ya gums too much?!" Meowth snapped, wiping off the annoying purple Glameow paint before scratching Jessie and James' faces to shut them up.

Dawn nearly keeled over. _Oh my God! Team Rocket's in MY OWN HOUSE!! Mom's NEVER gonna' believe me the next time I say 'no need to worry.' _Dawn was really starting to consider saying her tagline more sparingly. _But right now, I've gotta' get these bozos out of here before Mom grounds me for a week!_

Not taking any chances, Dawn whipped out her favorite Pokeball. "Piplup, get rid of them with Bubblebeam-!"

"_Oh_…you want a battle, do you, little girl?" taunted Jessie, grabbing Seviper's Pokeball, while James seized Carnivine's. "Fine by me, though we wouldn't want your pretty little house damaged in the process, _would_ we?"

Jessie had a point. Instigating a heated battle inside Dawn's kitchen was not smart. The young coordinator noticed her mother glare over her daughter's recklessness. Lowering Piplup's Pokeball, Dawn snarled under her breath, while the Rocket trio grinned victoriously. _Checkmate!_

"Dat's betta'!" Meowth sneered, ever so relieved to have finally gotten rid of the Glameow get-up. "Now, hand ova' all ya Pokemon and we'll be on our way. A few meatballs would be nice, too!" Poor Meowth was too busy snooping around Dawn's house for valuables to taste his beloved meatballs, yet.

Johanna did not quite know what to make of these three characters, but she was not about to let them terrorize her own house. "Glameow," she started calmly, sounding as though she was about to issue an order. Instinctively, Jessie and James braced themselves for an attack, while Johanna pointed in their direction. "Be a dear and open the back door."

"Huh?" everyone else blinked, while the purple striped cat did exactly as told. A cool, nighttime breeze swept through the kitchen, blissfully running through everyone's hair. Jessie and James particularly enjoyed the refreshing breeze, since they had been cooped-up in their overdressed costumes for a while.

"Now use Shadow Ball!"

Two seconds later, the Rocket trio found themselves hurled outside and kissing the grass. Spitting out the disgusting grass blades, Jessie pulled herself to her achy feet, snarling viciously. "How DARE you!!" she barked, grabbing Seviper's Pokeball again and preparing to launch it.

Dawn was just about to leap onto the porch and finally order Piplup to send the thieves on their merry way. However, the calm and collected Johanna had a better idea. Strolling onto her porch with Glameow on her heels, Johanna smiled casually, just like the seasoned coordinator she was. "You thieves have until the count of three before I call Officer Jenny."

Gulping, the Rockets staggered to their feet, attempting to redeem themselves. "Ha! Go right ahead, twerpy mom!" Jessie dared arrogantly, placing her hands on her hips. "Call the cops right _now_! They don't scare us!"

Johanna just smiled casually. "If you insist," she shrugged, before strolling back inside the house. Team Rocket swallowed loudly, surprised the woman upheld her threat.

"Er…maybe we should get out of here, Jessie," James advised, tapping the woman's shoulder. "The boss said he'd never bail us out again, and stripes aren't becoming on me."

"Yeah," Jessie agreed (at both of James' comments), though partially wondering if Johanna would actually call the cops. _Why wouldn't she?_ Snarling, Jessie pointed another finger at the twerps at the back door. "Ha! We went easy on you brats today, but tomorrow you won't be so lucky!"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Neither will _you_ if the cops find you."

"Good point," James acknowledged with raised eyebrows. Jessie grabbed his collar while the trio went dashing out of Dawn's yard, taking their leave before sirens resonated. "Damn twerps. Though come to think of it…whatever happened to 'Barbara'?" he snickered, hearing Jessie do the same before growling.

"Who cares?" Jessie grumbled in between sprints. "He's on his own!"

"I didn't get my meatballs!" Meowth bawled, taking the rear of their group.

"Well, we didn't get any Pokemon, either!" Jessie snapped back at the cat, before the trio sighed sadly before disappearing into the night.

"Looks like Team Rocket's empty-handed again."

"Woooobbuffet!"

- - - - - - - - - -

"See Dawn?" Johanna smiled down at her daughter as the group returned inside the house. Shutting and locking the back door, Johanna added, "There's more than one way to get rid of a problem, without fighting."

Smiling sheepishly, Dawn nodded before tackling her mom with a big hug. "Yeah. Thanks Mom!" The girl could only pray Johanna would not be as furious as Dawn figured. After all, it was not Dawn's fault the Rocket trio duped her...right?

Thankfully, Johanna was more impressed by the decorated table of delicious food in her kitchen. Plus, the mother had also noticed how spick-and-span her house appeared. Considering she left four rowdy kids alone for the afternoon, Johanna was amazed at how wonderful her house seemed…arguably cleaner than she left it!

"Goodness! Did you kids do all this?" Johanna gasped in pleasant surprise, particularly impressed by the lavish dinner. After a moment of realizing Johanna was not going to give her an earful, Dawn took her chances and gave her mom a reassuring squeeze, which was the only answer Johanna needed. "Well thank you all very much. You kids didn't have to clean the house or cook dinner," smiled Johanna, addressing Brock and Misty before placing a quick kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"We wanted to do this for you, Mom," Dawn replied with a sweet smile.

"I love to cook and clean, anyway," Brock added confidently. "It was no trouble at all."

Misty bit her tongue to stifle a snort. _'No trouble at all'? Considering Ash's behavior, I beg to differ._

Then again…

_"There's more than one way to get rid of a problem, without fighting."_

…Misty knew Johanna was right.

While Johanna joined Dawn and Brock at the kitchen table, Misty blinked. Just now realizing something, she turned to the back door window, noticing again how it was dark outside. _Speaking of Ash...where IS he? I haven't seen him since his second bathroom run._ Another pang of guilt struck Misty momentarily. _Oh, I hope he's not REALLY sick, though if Ash were sick he'd probably be in the bathroom, rather than outside with Pikachu._

_Unless…_

Pikachu had yet to return as well, and Turtwig and Staravia already ate their suppers and returned to their Pokeballs. The only other Pokemon of Ash's Misty could find was Aipom, currently sharing a bowl of PokeChow with Buneary. Excusing herself for a moment, Misty walked over to the monkey. "Hey Aipom?" Misty asked sweetly, getting the Pokemon's attention. "Could you go fetch Ash and Pikachu? Tell them supper's ready."

Swallowing one more piece of kibble, Aipom nodded affirmatively and then left out the back door. Misty was not too comfortable sending the little monkey out on its own in the dark, so just after Aipom left, Misty excused herself again and followed. Twinleaf Town's night air was crisp and refreshing, but the visibility was getting dimmer. The last thing Misty wanted was for Aipom to get into trouble, though 'getting into trouble' was what the monkey did best.

_Just like it's trainer. _

"Aipom?! What the hell are you doing?!"

Misty blinked at the sudden voice, perking in the direction of a suspiciously rustling green bush near Dawn's house. Rushing over to the commotion, Misty pulled apart the moving bush...

...And nearly fell over in hysterics.

Misty had been wondering whatever happened to 'Barbara,' and now she knew_. Memo to self, Misty; your intuition is ALWAYS right! I knew there was something fishy about 'her,' or should I say...'him!' _A hand flew to her mouth as Misty started to giggle, watching 'Barbara' from behind while Aipom fixated itself once again on its master's headgear. Only this time, the headgear was a blonde wig instead of a hat. What fascinated Misty to no end was how there were strands of 'black' hair peeking through the 'blonde' wig Aipon was desperate to tear off.

Misty could not help herself. "You' know, _Ash_...your hair looks _really _nice today," she nostalgically chimed, noticing 'Barbara' freeze in horror and slowly turn around to finally notice the spying redhead.

_Oh God_... Ash swallowed, instantly feeling his face redden as brightly as Misty's hair. It did not help that once he froze, Aipon took the ideal chance to snatch the wig and run off with it, perfectly unveiling the guilty raven-haired boy in the pink dress. _Damn you, Aipom!_

Misty, on the other hand, was praising the mischievous monkey. _This brings back WONDERFUL memories of Celadon City_,she snickered, crossing her arms tauntingly as she took note of the rest of Ash's impeccable rosy, frilly, and poofy ensemble. "And are those new clothes?"

Ash blushed even more furiously, cursing Team Rocket and their horrendous fashion sense. _As if a dress isn't bad enough, they chose PINK of all colors, too! _"Oh shut up!" Ash shot back, not at all surprised when Misty burst into hysterics a second later, rolling on the grass. He took his opportunity to tear off the damned dress, happy that he left his white T-shirt and jeans on underneath. That was the only advantage to the poofy, pink dress; Ash could hide almost anything under it. _Though I couldn't hide my identity, could I? No thanks to Aipom._

Calming down to regain her composure, Misty sat on the ground next to Ash, wiping her eyes and shaking her head. "Honestly, Ash. You'll do anything to make an ass of yourself, won't you?"

Of course, Ash knew he only had himself to blame for this ridicule. "Yeah, well maybe it you told me what was in that damn sugar cabinet..."

"Oh gimmie a break, Ash!" Misty snorted, looking back up at the starry heavens for a moment before sighing in defeat. "You wanna' know what's in there?" she asked, noticing the boy blink, hardly believing what she was about to say. "It's a portable Poffin mixer! Johanna's birthday present for Dawn! _Okay_?! God, must you make a mountain out of every molehill?!"

As if hit by a truck, Ash face-faulted, "Birthday present?! _THAT'S _what you've been hiding from me?!"

Misty giggled playfully with a mischievous glint in her aqua eyes. "I wasn't hiding it from _you_, dipstick. Dawn was the only one we needed to keep it a secret from. I only refused to tell you..." she teased, flicking Ash's nose and causing the boy to scrunch his face cutely. "...Cause' I couldn't waitto see how long your patience would hold out."

_She WAS enjoying every bit of it! Dammit! _Ash snarled, though lowering his head in defeat. He _did_ make a mountain out of a molehill, and made a total ass of himself in the process. Of course, Misty's taunting did not help matters, either.

"Though I never expected you to go to such 'great lengths' to unlock the big mystery," Misty sneered, making Ash blush even more. "Sending Team Rocket inside was rather desperate, don't you think? Then again, it was nowhere near as desperate as your little 'Barbie' stunt-"

"Okay, okay. I get it!" Ash quickly interrupted, getting to his feet and brushing himself off, praying the color in his face would somehow return to normal. He already knew he was not going to hear the end of this fiasco, especially if Misty told the others. _Now I'm gonna' have to suck up to HER so she keeps her mouth shut. Terrific!_

Meanwhile, Misty just continued to shake her head. _He never ceases to amaze me_, she exhaled, shaking her head as she got up beside Ash. _I'm gonna' have to write a book called 'The Great Lengths One Boy Will Go For Candy,' not that anyone will believe it to be 'based on a true story.' _She continued to giggle and snicker as Misty grinned in Ash's embarrassed direction. Clearly, the boy was doing everything in his power not to make eye contact. _What can I say? Ladies and gentlemen, THIS is a future Pokemon Master!_

_Though you have to admit, how many people would have gone through all that...for CANDY?! God, only Ash, though it would prove interesting to see what great lengths he would go for OTHER things, say..._

Misty blushed slightly at the thought, before shaking it out of her. _Down girl. The day Ash bribes Team Rocket and cross-dresses for MY sake will be the day I'll date a Caterpie! _

_Though…it WOULD be nice to see what lengths Ash would go to...for a girl. I don't think even BROCK would go through half the stuff Ash did today for a girl...oh wait, scratch that, Brock probably WOULD. Never mind._

Ash did not like the silence emanating from Misty, though he heard her giggle and snicker every now and then. The inevitable humiliation and ridicule was bound to kick in any minute, so he was hoping Misty would stop stalling and get it over with. _She's not the type to let anyone off THIS easy, especially me!_

Honestly, Misty did feel somewhat sorry for the boy. Ash acted undeniably immature and pathetic today, but..._all that for nothing. _Maybe she had a soft spot for things like these, or maybe Misty had a soft spot for...

"Here," Misty relented, pulling something out of her shorts' pocket and handing it to Ash, making Ash blink as he took note of the item. In Misty's palm was a napkin wrapped in shiny plastic wrap.

And inside the napkin was a handful's worth of chocolate chips and caramel cubes.

"Oh, and _I'm _the Munchlax?!" Ash retorted, instantly yelping and shutting up when Misty kicked his shin.

"'Don't bite the hand that's feeding you,' Ash," Misty grumbled matter-of-factly, before snatching a couple of chocolate chips and popping them into her mouth. The blissful treats melted in her mouth like a dream. Chocolate was her favorite candy, a sweet little reminder of…the dark brown eyes she admired.

It took another moment for Ash to realize Misty was not going to torment him...yet. _Hehe...it looks like Misty has the same weakness for candy, too! _He grinned before helping himself to one of the tempting caramel cubes. Ash half-expected Misty to slap his hand away, but he was pleased to see she was indulging in the candy just as much. Granted, the kids probably should have headed back inside to finish Brock's delicious dinner, but...

…There was something mesmerizing about sitting outside that night. Under the stars, the boy noticed Misty's orange-red hair had tinted silver by the moonlight…shimmering caramel…

…It _had_ to be the sugar. Yes, the _sugar _was the culprit for their little fantasies as the two kids shared the candy. Sweet, melting…yes, the giddiness was all because of their newfound sugar rushes. Ash and Misty would continue telling themselves this until the last piece of caramel and chocolate disappeared. Silly giggles occasionally slipped past their smirking lips, and the duo never even noticed they had absentmindedly been sitting shoulder-to-shoulder. It was all because of the _sugar_; they were certain of it.

But ignorance is sweet bliss: Ash with his caramel, and Misty with her chocolate.

_Chocolate and caramel...a match made in Heaven. _

*** The End ***

* * *

**A/N**: I have dominantly dedicated this story to my friend (whom I have dubbed Pompom, on account of her fixation with Aipom). Readers can thank/blame Pompom-Chan for the "chocolate and caramel" pun (or at least half of it). "Chocolate and caramel" being a "match made in Heaven" alludes to Ash and Misty in the same respect. Pompom groans every time I gush over Ash's chocolate-brown eyes (because you guys know me and my Sato-Chan obsession). The candy allusion got Pompom thinking of a candy pun for Misty, and (of all candies) Pompom chose 'caramel' for Misty's hair. Thus, the "chocolate and caramel" pun was born (though I suppose Pompom can only trademark the "caramel" part, since many fanfic authors allude to Ash's chocolate eyes).

Honestly, Pompom-Chan, I don't fully agree that Misty's hair is 'caramel' colored, but I'll admit the pun nevertheless worked in this story (though it was hard for me to find a way to lighten Misty's hair so it could better resemble caramel. Thank God for moonlight!). Either way, thanks for the idea, Pompom! (I doubt your "chocolate and caramel" idea will catch on, but it made an interesting Pokeshippy subplot in this story). I apologize for not publishing this story sooner (Pompom's been bugging me since last month to post this). I do hope you enjoyed it!

So did everyone else enjoy this story? I certainly hope so, though I'll never know unless I hear from you wonderful readers. So (a la Sato-Chan), please review…pretty please with sugar on top? You probably should review before I start giving the lower-lip and puppy eyes…or before I totally nauseate you. Hehe. Thanks very much for reading!

**- Aiselne Phoenix Nocturnus**


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